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Boutique hotel development planned for former Statler Hilton site in Detroit

The Downtown Detroit Executive Hotel Complex development group expects the project, dubbed the Fitzgerald Place, to be complete by the third quarter of 2015.

A group of Michigan and out-of-state investors plans a new development with a 118-room boutique hotel, 150 high-rise residences, a Miller Parking Services parking garage with at least 700 spaces and three restaurants on the site of the former Statler Hilton Hotel on Grand Circus Park.

A $1.5 million purchase offer and $100,000 deposit for the site on Washington Boulevard has been presented to the office of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, the Downtown Development Authority and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., according to a news release.

The Downtown Detroit Executive Hotel Complex development group expects the project, dubbed the Fitzgerald Place, to be complete by the third quarter of 2015.

The project's backers issued a misleading press release on Thursday implying a connection with the owners of the Broderick Tower. However, Mike Higgins, owner representative for the Broderick Tower, told Crain's he is not involved in the project. Separately, Fred Beal, president of J.C. Beal Construction, confirmed he has a construction managment agreement for the new Grand Circus Park project. Beal said he is a former minority owner of the Broderick; his son Stewart retains a small stake in the Broderick.

The group has sole Detroit market rights for the San Francisco-based Commune Hotels & Resorts Inc. brand of hotels, which includes Thompson Hotels and Tommie Hotels.

The first Luca's Chophouse in Detroit is expected at the Fitzgerald Place development, according to the release. Gillespie's jazz bar and the Blues Note club are expected, as well. There also would be a Grant Street Cleaner's, the company's second in Detroit, according to the release.

An attorney representing the development group and one of the developers, William McCrary of Tennessee, could not be reached for comment.

The Statler Hilton was razed in 2005 ahead of the 2006 Super Bowl.

Kirk Pinho: (313) 446-0412, kpinho@crain.com. Twitter: @kirkpinhoCDB

Due to incorrect information provided to Crain's, a previous version of this story had incorrect information about Fitzgerald Place investment from owners of the Broderick Tower.